


Eye of the Storm

by Lucyverse



Category: Adventures of Tintin (2011)
Genre: Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Fluff, Gen, Pre-Slash
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-18
Updated: 2017-06-18
Packaged: 2018-11-15 14:53:28
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 910
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11233314
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lucyverse/pseuds/Lucyverse
Summary: [[RE UPLOAD FROM OLD ACCOUNT]] Tintin seeks refuge in the Captain's room during a particularly stormy night in Marlinspike.





	Eye of the Storm

**Author's Note:**

> So this was originally uploaded to my old backup account "Sampa," (now deleted) but I decided to re-upload it here. Hope you guys like xX

Marlinspike is notorious for its hideous conditions during storms. 

In other words, no matter which room you're in, the racket is always the same. 

It's a wonder how anyone gets any sleep in such a place but Haddock has been through worse at sea, so storms are rarely an issue for him when hitting the hay. Plus the late night whiskey helps, so when bedtime rolls in a whole herd of cattle could stampede the area and he would sleep like a baby. 

The weather is particularly bad tonight and the storm hollers against every inch of the house; hammering against the windows, lashing the roof, raindrops rattling against every nook and cranny like miniature knives. The Captain is so deep in his slumber that he remains undisturbed by the sudden movement in his room; the quiet creaking of the door as it opens, the light shuffling of feet against the rug, crossing the room until it reaches the bed and then the ever so subtle tug of the blankets. 

'Captain?'

' _Nuurgh_...' he turns over, too engrossed in battling with the high tides of his dreams to respond to any questions now, 'battle stations...clear the decks...women and children first...'

'Captain?'

'P-Port to Starboard...full steam ahead-'

' _Captain_.'

Finally he stirs, consciousness falling over him and clouding his eyes worse than any hangover ever could, 'alright, _alright_ , I'm coming, hold your-'

Somehow he hadn't expected it to be Tintin. The lad has never come to him in the night before but when Haddock gets a good look at his face he notices it's as white as paper, as if he's seen a ghost.

'Tintin?' Haddock stretches and rubs his tired eyes, 'what-what's the matter, lad? Are we under attack?'

His response is a shuddery laugh, 'n-no Captain. I was just wondering...could I sleep with you?'

 _That_ brings the man to his senses, 'what you say?'

'Relax Captain,' Tintin chuckles softly again but another roll of thunder makes him jerk on the spot, 'I was wondering...if you didn't mind...' he gives up in trying to explain and starts making gestures towards the bed with his eyes, hoping the Captain may take the hint.

'Eh?' Archibald tries to make sense of these inane gestures and finally grasps it, 'oh, well...I don't see why not, lad. Of course, hop in.'

Tintin doesn't need persuading; he burrows himself under the covers until he's enveloped in the sheets, the faint scent of musk and whiskey coming sweet to his senses like a hoard of old memories resurfacing from an old photograph. The storm roars from above and he curls tighter, eyes squeezing shut as if he can block out the noise just by that action alone and Haddock finally shakes off the drowsiness that's slowly trying to consume him again and reaches over to pat the lump under the bedclothes.

'Ah, I see...afraid of a little breeze are we lad?' he takes note of the flash of lightning that passes by the window and Tintin who trembles in response to it, 'well, we can't have you down there shaking like a startled barnacle now, can we? Come on up, landlubber.'

The reporter seems to hesitate, probably embarrassed...or just a little hesitant; sure, they've slept together before, when they've been travelling and their accomondation came with a single suite only. But this is the _Captain's_ bed; his bed that he sleeps in alone. His territory you might dare say.

But the storm rages on and in the end he dismisses all his inner conflict and shifts up the bed to lie beside the Captain, yearning for the storm to settle somewhat so they can both get some sleep.

Storms have always been something that Tintin has...struggled with. When he lived alone, they were all the more disturbing and he's thankful now that he has someone to go to rather than being stuck alone, trapped under bedcovers with only Milou for company. It was an infantile phobia, bred from a childhood spent living in his Uncle's eerie chateau where the wind and the rain was a constant friend and your limbs could have frozen solid from the cold.

'Thank you Captain,' the boy mumbles, curling into the older man's side as the windows begin to rattle, 'pretty rough out there...'

'Ach, this is nothing compared to the storms we had at sea. Mighty storms they were. Could have knocked all the wind out of you...though I suppose the last thing you want to hear right now is an old sea tale like that—’

'Oh no Captain!' Tintin insists, 'please, do tell.'

The rain pelts furiously against the rooftops, but the noise is almost soundless as the two become lost in the Captain's adventure. By the time Archibald has finished his story, Tintin is finally asleep, curled peacefully beside him like a slumbering pup.

In the dim light of the room, Haddock sighs, carefully kisses that soft tuft of ginger hair and extinguishes the candle on the bedside table, satisfied that once again he has managed to chase away the terrors that haunt the young man’s brilliant mind. The ones he desperately masks but every now and then, in a rare moment of vulnerability, allows to slip out.

It never bothers the Captain. He's more than happy to be there for the lad.

He'll always be there. There isn't a chance in the seven seas that he would ever leave.  


End file.
